Thousands of visitors heading to the Ohio State Fair caused heavy traffic on Interstate 71 near the Ohio Expo Center on July 30, leading state officials to manage highway flow and announce upcoming closures.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation's traffic monitoring service OHGO, congestion formed south of the 11th Avenue exit during peak travel hours.
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The highway typically carries about 141,000 vehicles daily under normal conditions.
Fair officials expect nearly one million visitors over the 12-day event, putting significant strain on the corridor.
Drivers can bypass the I-71 congestion by using Fourth Street from the south or Third Street from the north.
Upcoming Road Work and Closures
ODOT also announced several construction projects and ramp closures across Franklin County starting August 3.
U. S.
33 between Fishinger Road and State Route 161 will close for 45 days beginning Aug. 3, with detours routing drivers through State Route 161 and Interstate 270.
Additional overnight ramp closures will affect regional commuters.
The eastbound I-270 ramp to northbound I-71 will close from 2 a. m.
to 5 a. m.
on Aug. 3.
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The southbound I-71 ramp to Main Street will close nightly from 9 p. m.
to 5 a. m.
from Aug. 3 through Aug.
7.
Downtown Columbus will also face nightly disruptions, as the I-71 north ramp to I-70 east is scheduled to close overnight from 10 p.
m. to 5 a.
m. through August 1.
Later in the month, the I-270 south ramp to Easton Way will shut down overnight from 8 p.
m. to 5 a.
m. on August 9.
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Heavy traffic from the fair and these road projects will cause major delays on I-71 and nearby highways.
